Borri Wildow
Borri Wildow, answering to the sobriquet Borri the Bold, is the head of House Wildow, Lord Warden of Mistmoore and Duke of the Pale. Borri is a minor POV character in the story. He is the middle child of two brothers: Yori and Jystin Wildow. Borri is married to Pearl Hayard and has two children: Hansa and Hazel Wildow. Appearance and Character Borri has a face handsome for a northerner, with sable hair flecked with strands of an aging grey. He is thirty-three, but when light hits his hair, it looks silver. He has azure eyes which are passed onto his son. His expressions can be imposing and intimidating, which he uses to his advantage. According to Pearl Wildow, Borri is more handsome than his brothers. His sobriquet is a reference to his ruthless, hard-hearted past with battles; most notably the Battle of the Brothers, Attack of River Ivory, Winter Wars and the Assault of Highhollow. This ruthlessness is carried after these conflicts, though people say that "his unsparing ways are not without good intention". His victories and somewhat barbaric tactics in battle makes him feared and respected. Borri feigns his religion, pretending to believe in the gods but actually believes man is a master of his own destiny and there are no superior beings. Borri smiles only when he must, or when to comfort his children. Despite his strict attitude, he deeply cares for his children. Borri is known for his unwavering shielding of his family and his family name. While this is common amongst the Wildows, Borri will go to any excessive lengths to keep his family's name respected and has started wars to keep this. He strongly tries to keep his family feared to prevent potential oustings, which deeply frustrates him due to his heir's gentle nature, realising he will not be a feared ruler. Some find his guarded nature a sign of coldness. Amongst his enemies, Borri is very intimidating and does not sway from brutal murders. He is best described as being practical, empirical, stoic and stern. Borri commonly wears surcoats. When in battle, he would never change from his armour even for sleeping. This carries into his home life, in which Borri's casual apparel consists of tabards and similar wear as he feels "insecure" without it. He feels embellished armours are for pompous kings who use it for show and not for battle. Borri wields an ebonsteel bastard sword named Knight's Fall, given to him after being knighted during his fifteenth nameday. Youth Borri was born at Mistmoore in 303E to his mother Jessiqa and Geruld Wildow. He was the younger brother of Jystin, and Yori was born four years later. His father Geruld was glad he had so many sons but was also frustrated that he had no daughter to sell off for marriage. Borri admired his father Geruld for his dedication to family future, and quickly became one to help his father in such matters. Borri had little of a boyhood, as his mother Jessiqa was stricken with a lethal illness, which deeply depressed Geruld. When Jessiqa passes away, Geruld is ruined. He spends many hours grieving and distracting himself with whores. At age thirteen, this caused Borri and his older brother Jystin to take up the responsibilities of governing the Pale as Yori was galavanting around the realm in search of unrealistic adventures. As a result of this, Borri's relationship grew with his brother. As an adolescent, Borri was sullen and quick to sense falsehoods. Jystin was initially quick to trust others, though advice from Borri made it so he would be skeptical of others. The two siblings made every choice consulting each other first, and rarely made any decisions without one's knowledge. At age fifteen, he was knighted by King Thamund Clanfyre after the Attack of River Ivory and given the ebonsteel sword Knight's Fall. Battle of the Brothers In the summer of 314NE, Geruld's current mistress overhears a plan to wed Jystin to Pearl Hayard and quickly tells Geruld. Impressed with their maturity, he vows to not give up on them and starts to aid his sons in their decisions. However, Geruld tries to impose all of his ill-found ideas onto them, resulting them in rejecting. In a fragile mental state and furious that people are respecting his sons more than him, Geruld plans to overthrow Jystin. The latter quickly finds out about this and ensures his father that they are not trying to take his place, only standing in for him while he recovers his strength. While Jystin is adamant to forgive him, Borri feels profoundly betrayed how their own father would order such a thing and threatens Geruld with exile if he would ever act upon his words. At age fourteen, Borri is considered the strongest heir to Geruld and his advisors take his word as law. Realising he would not be able to squire for any noble now that Mistmoore is in the hands of weak men, he continues his role as advisor to Jystin, whom is currently serving as lord regent. Unbeknownst to Borri, Geruld's mental state degrades even further and tries to persuade Jystin to kill Borri and he would be more respected as a result. Jystin and Geruld muster a squadron of two-hundred of their household guard and storm the throne room, in which Borri is sitting on the Seat of Steel. Geruld's forces quickly overwhelm those in the hall, though Jystin exlaims that he does not want any bloodshed. Geruld marches up to the Seat of Steel, and demands he step aside. Borri, in his eyes, is looking upon a traitor and not a father. As a result of this, he calmly plays along until he pulls a dagger from his sleeve and drives it into his father's neck. Jystin orders his men to attack Borri, though most of his guard are stupified that a fourteen-year-old was able to kill his own father. Those who tried to attack Borri were cut down by his own guard. Borri says to his brother "You disappoint me, brother. You should know full well that while I sit in this chair, I hold all the power." Jystin begs for mercy, though Borri is convinced he will only jump at the chance to repeat his actions, and order's his older brother's execution by beheading. After he is taken out of the throne room, Borri orders all of his brother's squadron, who have surrendered, to be killed then and there. Borri insists on executing Jystin himself, against his advisor's wishes, and considers him bluffing. After a week in jail, Jystin is outside to the kennels. Jystin is scared he will be eaten by dogs. However, Borri tells him "As my brother, I give you the mercy of a quick death, though you will die here as the dog you are." Borri ignores his brother's pleas and beheads him. The people quickly both fear and respect Borri for his actions, with them claiming he was in the right for doing so since they betrayed him but they were still his family. Attack of River Ivory In the autumn of 315NE, Borri is maintaining order in the Pale.